Abstract: The first project experimentally investigates the moral differences between two types of luck that influence inequalities in society, talent luck and pure luck. People are highly sceptical towards inequalities that arise due to luck. In contrast, they largely accept inequalities stemming from talent differences. But to the degree that inequalities from talent are accepted even when an individual has done nothing to develop her talent, this appears to be a paradox. Innate abilities are after all outside the control of individuals and result from a random draw in the genetic lottery. I present an experimental setup that investigates two possible underlying moral distinctions between these two types of luck.

The second project is a planned field intervention which will investigate whether idleness at work negatively impacts workers. In the preliminary setup I propose to investigate whether idleness in one task breeds idleness in a subsequent task, looking to find evidence for whether idleness really is “the root of all evil”